Church of God with Signs Following
Encyclopedia
The Church of God with Signs Following is the name applied to Pentecostal Holiness
churches that practice snake handling
and drinking poison in worship services, based on an interpretation of the following biblical passage:
The exact membership is unknown, and has recently been estimated as low as 1,000 and as high as 5,000 with possibly fifty to a hundred congregations. According to the Encyclopedia of American Religions, churches "can be found from central Florida to West Virginia
and as far west as Columbus, Ohio
." The snake-handling sect of beliefs and practices go as far as to cross the border into Western Canada in 2004 to Lethbridge
and Edmonton, Alberta.
Each church body is independent and autonomous, and the denominational name is not consistent in all areas, although it is almost always some variation of the name "Church of God" (Trinitarian) or "Church of Jesus" (Non-Trinitarian).
The practice of handling snakes has been made illegal in a number of states. In Tennessee
, it is illegal to display any venomous reptile in a manner that endangers anyone. Alabama
has a similar statute. In Kentucky
, it is illegal to display any reptile
at a religious ceremony. Prosecutions, however, are rare.
Documentary films have been made featuring snake-handling, such as Holy Ghost People
and Heaven Come Down
.
of Grasshopper Valley in southeastern Tennessee
. Hensley was a minister of the Church of God, now known as the Church of God (Cleveland), founded by Richard Spurling and A. J. Tomlinson. In the 1920s, the Church of God repudiated the practice of snake-handling, and Hensley and his followers formed a separate body.
Serpent-handling in north Alabama
and north Georgia
originated with James Miller in Sand Mountain, Alabama
at about the same time. Miller apparently developed his belief independently of any knowledge of Hensley's ministry. Snake Handling eventually crossed the borders into Canada into the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. In 2004, a handful of Canadians also received a "revelation from God" about snake-handling as a "correct" doctrine.
s, and copperhead
s (venomous snakes native to North America) are the most common, but even cobra
s have been used. During the service, believers may approach the front and pick up the snakes, usually raising them into the air and sometimes allowing the snakes to crawl on their bodies. The snakes are considered incarnations of demon
s, and handling the snakes demonstrates one's power over them. Members are not required to handle the snakes. Some believers will also engage in drinking poison (most commonly strychnine
) at this time.
Over sixty cases of death as the result of snakebite
s in religious worship services have been documented in the United States
. If a handler is bitten, it is generally interpreted as a lack of faith or failure to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit
. But individual incidents may actually be understood in a variety of ways. Bitten believers usually do not seek medical help, but look to God for their healing. Beginning in 1936, six southeastern states outlawed snake-handling. George Went Hensley
died in Florida
in 1955 from a poisonous snakebite.
In other areas of belief, the Church of God with Signs Following holds doctrines and practices similar to related Church of God and Oneness Pentecostal bodies. They maintain a strict teaching of standards of holiness in daily living, baptism in the Holy Spirit, divine healing
, water baptism
, and footwashing. They also stress Romans 16:16
- "Salute another with a Holy Kiss
."
Adherents generally adhere to strict dress codes such as uncut hair, no cosmetics, the wearing of ankle-length dresses with pantyhose for women, and short hair and long-sleeved shirts for men. Most ministers preach against any use of all types of tobacco and alcohol.
, however, churches who practice snake handling claim their scriptural mandate from the gospel of Mark 16:9-20. Curiously, this passage is arguably a later addition to Mark, and is footnoted as such in most well known translations of the Bible. Even those denominations who affirm this passage as canonical do not interpret the passage as a call to handle serpents; they regard snake handling as the grave error of "tempting God" http://cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/RA/k/831/Should-Christians-Handle-Snakes.htm and the passage as a statement of signs demonstrating Paul's apostleship (cf. Acts 28:3-6).
Snake handlers argue that it is tempting God when one picks and chooses what parts of Scripture to believe and ignore. They add that Jesus only spoke to Satan who was tempting the Lord. Satan, they argue, asked Jesus to throw himself off of a cliff when he expelled the statement, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!". In addition they state that if God himself asked Jesus to throw himself off of the cliff instead of Satan, just as God asked Moses to pick up a serpent without question which then transformed into a rod in the Old Testament, Jesus would have done so. "Fear and the slightest form of doubt" as some handlers maintain can be enough to kill some worshippers which is why they encourage those, who have fear and doubt, not to partake in such practices unless they are living a morally correct life of holiness and total trust in God's Will.
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
churches that practice snake handling
Snake handling
Snake handling or serpent handling is a religious ritual in a small number of Pentecostal churches in the U.S., usually characterized as rural and Holiness. The practice began in the early 20th century in Appalachia, spreading to mostly coal mining towns. The practice plays only a small part of...
and drinking poison in worship services, based on an interpretation of the following biblical passage:
- "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover," (MarkGospel of MarkThe Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
16:17-18).
The exact membership is unknown, and has recently been estimated as low as 1,000 and as high as 5,000 with possibly fifty to a hundred congregations. According to the Encyclopedia of American Religions, churches "can be found from central Florida to West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and as far west as Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
." The snake-handling sect of beliefs and practices go as far as to cross the border into Western Canada in 2004 to Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
and Edmonton, Alberta.
Each church body is independent and autonomous, and the denominational name is not consistent in all areas, although it is almost always some variation of the name "Church of God" (Trinitarian) or "Church of Jesus" (Non-Trinitarian).
The practice of handling snakes has been made illegal in a number of states. In Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, it is illegal to display any venomous reptile in a manner that endangers anyone. Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
has a similar statute. In Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, it is illegal to display any reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
at a religious ceremony. Prosecutions, however, are rare.
Documentary films have been made featuring snake-handling, such as Holy Ghost People
Holy Ghost People
Holy Ghost People is a 1967 documentary directed and narrated by Peter Adair. It is about the service of a Pentecostal community in Scrabble Creek, West Virginia, United States....
and Heaven Come Down
Heaven Come Down
Heaven Come Down is a 2008 documentary directed by Gabriel Wrye and Michael Mees, focused on the snake handling practices of several rare sects of Pentecostals.It aired on the Sundance Channel in December 2008 as part of their Documentary Monday series....
.
History
The practice of snake-handling first appeared in American Christianity around 1910 and was associated with the ministry of George Went HensleyGeorge Went Hensley
George Went Hensley was one of the founders of the Church of God with Signs Following, a 20th century snake handling movement that was centered in the southeastern United States. A Tennessee native, Hensley contributed to the popularization of snake handling in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee...
of Grasshopper Valley in southeastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Hensley was a minister of the Church of God, now known as the Church of God (Cleveland), founded by Richard Spurling and A. J. Tomlinson. In the 1920s, the Church of God repudiated the practice of snake-handling, and Hensley and his followers formed a separate body.
Serpent-handling in north Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and north Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
originated with James Miller in Sand Mountain, Alabama
DeKalb County, Alabama
As of the 2010 Census DeKalb County had a population of 71,109. The median age was 37.5. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 81.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander , 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or...
at about the same time. Miller apparently developed his belief independently of any knowledge of Hensley's ministry. Snake Handling eventually crossed the borders into Canada into the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. In 2004, a handful of Canadians also received a "revelation from God" about snake-handling as a "correct" doctrine.
Beliefs and practices
Worship services usually include singing, praying, speaking in tongues and preaching. The front of the church, behind the pulpit, is the designated area for handling snakes. Rattlesnakes, cottonmouthCottonmouth
Cottonmouth may refer to:Snakes* Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. the water moccasin, a venomous and semiaquatic pitviper found in the US* Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen, a.k.a...
s, and copperhead
Copperhead
Copperhead may refer to:Snakes:* Agkistrodon contortrix, a venomous pit viper species found in parts of North America.* Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. the cottonmouth, another venomous pit viper species found in North America....
s (venomous snakes native to North America) are the most common, but even cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
s have been used. During the service, believers may approach the front and pick up the snakes, usually raising them into the air and sometimes allowing the snakes to crawl on their bodies. The snakes are considered incarnations of demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s, and handling the snakes demonstrates one's power over them. Members are not required to handle the snakes. Some believers will also engage in drinking poison (most commonly strychnine
Strychnine
Strychnine is a highly toxic , colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia or sheer exhaustion...
) at this time.
Over sixty cases of death as the result of snakebite
Snakebite
A snakebite is an injury caused by a bite from a snake, often resulting in puncture wounds inflicted by the animal's fangs and sometimes resulting in envenomation. Although the majority of snake species are non-venomous and typically kill their prey with constriction rather than venom, venomous...
s in religious worship services have been documented in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. If a handler is bitten, it is generally interpreted as a lack of faith or failure to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
. But individual incidents may actually be understood in a variety of ways. Bitten believers usually do not seek medical help, but look to God for their healing. Beginning in 1936, six southeastern states outlawed snake-handling. George Went Hensley
George Went Hensley
George Went Hensley was one of the founders of the Church of God with Signs Following, a 20th century snake handling movement that was centered in the southeastern United States. A Tennessee native, Hensley contributed to the popularization of snake handling in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee...
died in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1955 from a poisonous snakebite.
In other areas of belief, the Church of God with Signs Following holds doctrines and practices similar to related Church of God and Oneness Pentecostal bodies. They maintain a strict teaching of standards of holiness in daily living, baptism in the Holy Spirit, divine healing
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
, water baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, and footwashing. They also stress Romans 16:16
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
- "Salute another with a Holy Kiss
Holy kiss
The kiss of peace is a traditional Christian greeting dating to early Christianity.The practice still remains a part of the worship in traditional churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox churches, Oriental Orthodox churches and some liturgical...
."
Adherents generally adhere to strict dress codes such as uncut hair, no cosmetics, the wearing of ankle-length dresses with pantyhose for women, and short hair and long-sleeved shirts for men. Most ministers preach against any use of all types of tobacco and alcohol.
Scriptural interpretations
The distinctive practice of these churches is variously known as serpent-handling, snake-handling, and taking up serpents. Many people consider snake-handling to be a part of uneducated folk religionFolk religion
Folk religion consists of ethnic or regional religious customs under the umbrella of an organized religion, but outside of official doctrine and practices...
, however, churches who practice snake handling claim their scriptural mandate from the gospel of Mark 16:9-20. Curiously, this passage is arguably a later addition to Mark, and is footnoted as such in most well known translations of the Bible. Even those denominations who affirm this passage as canonical do not interpret the passage as a call to handle serpents; they regard snake handling as the grave error of "tempting God" http://cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/RA/k/831/Should-Christians-Handle-Snakes.htm and the passage as a statement of signs demonstrating Paul's apostleship (cf. Acts 28:3-6).
Snake handlers argue that it is tempting God when one picks and chooses what parts of Scripture to believe and ignore. They add that Jesus only spoke to Satan who was tempting the Lord. Satan, they argue, asked Jesus to throw himself off of a cliff when he expelled the statement, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!". In addition they state that if God himself asked Jesus to throw himself off of the cliff instead of Satan, just as God asked Moses to pick up a serpent without question which then transformed into a rod in the Old Testament, Jesus would have done so. "Fear and the slightest form of doubt" as some handlers maintain can be enough to kill some worshippers which is why they encourage those, who have fear and doubt, not to partake in such practices unless they are living a morally correct life of holiness and total trust in God's Will.
Further reading
- American Originals: Homemade Varieties of Christianity (1997), by Paul K. Conkin
- Appalachian Mountain Religion: A History, by Deborah Vansau McCauley ISBN 0-252-02129-0
- Encyclopedia of American Religions (1996), J. Gordon Melton, editor
- Foxfire 7, Paul F. Gillespie, editor ISBN 0-385-15244-2
- Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia, by Dennis Covington ISBN 0-14-025458-7
- Serpent-Handling Believers, by Thomas Burton ISBN 0-87049-788-X
- Snake Handlers: God Fearers or Fanatics?, by Robert W. Pelton & Karen W. Carden
- Taking Up Serpents: A History of Snake Handling, by David Kimbrough ISBN 0-86554-798-X
- The Serpent and the Spirit by Thomas Burton, University of Tennessee Press.
- The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith by Fred Brown and Jeanne McDonald ISBN 0895871912
External links
- Holiness Snake Handlers - Official site of practices
- Adherents.com
- A page about Religious Snake Handling
- Taking Up Serpents - by Andrea Perkins